Viktoría Rán is a child of nature, she lives in Hólmavík and grows multiple types of flowers, fruits and vegetables. Viktoría is a consultant at Atvest, a hot pool enthusiast, has a house full of kids and carries big dreams that one day will become reality.

My favorite five:

Reykjanes in Ísafjarðadjúp is one of my favorite places and the large scenic pool there is one of a kind. It is a huge 50 meter long geothermal pool with naturally flowing hot spring water and a natural steam bath. You can stay in the pool around midnight during winter and enjoy Northern lights dancing over the sky. During the summertime you must experience the spectacular sunny nights in Iceland to understand how amazing the nature is. Then you can watch the sun go behind mountains and come up again few minutes later.

Krossneslaug in Árneshreppur is located where the road ends in Iceland or on the edge of the North Atlantic Sea with the roar of the waves and the mountains towering it. Here, natural springs provide a continuous source of hot water to feed the open-air pool down on the pebble beach, whose walls are barely a couple of meters from the icy waters of the Atlantic; a swim here is one of the most memorable experiences Iceland has to offer.

Gvendarlaug by Hótel Laugarhóll consists of two natural springs that are said to have healing powers and I truly believe they do. One is medieval and a protected archaeological site. It is one of many pools said to have been blessed by bishop Guðmundur the good (1160-1237). These sites are believed to have miraculous powers, as Guðmundur was a popular saint. Right below it is another natural spring and a modern public swimming pool. Next to the pools is the Museum of Icelandic Sorcery & Witchcraft.

Heydalur is very special to me as I spent my wedding night there, at the end of January tucked away in this birch-covered valley. Our romantic visit to the tiny little hot spring underneath an amazing dome of northern lights was close to perfection. We also felt so pampered by Stella, the hotel manager, who prepared a superb cuisine using the local ingredients in her cozy restaurant that is a beautifully converted barn. A perfect visit that will stay with me forever.

The Hellulaug pool by Flókalundur is a „must see“ and an unforgettable experience. It is one of the greatest location for a geothermal pool, located right on the beach by Breiðafjörður. I love floating in the hot water and being surrounded with its unspoiled wildlife. It is simply breathtakingly unique and so relaxing. Nearby are also some of Iceland’s most beautiful natural sites, such as Latrabjarg, Raudisandur, the waterfall Dynjandi and Flatey.

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Safe travel in Iceland

To make travel in Iceland safer - for your safe returnSafetravel.is is run by ICE-SAR and is part of a bigger project, simply named Safetravel. In that project a number of companies, public institutions and individuals join hands and the goal is to lower the rate of accidents in travel and tourism in Iceland.

The 112 Iceland app can be used for two things, both for added safety on your Iceland trip. First of all you can call for help by pressing the red Emergency button. Your location will be sent by text message to the 112 response center. Remember that even though your phone shows no signal there is a possibility that you can send text message.

The green Check In button is for you to leave your location with us so if something happens we have more information to work with. Only the 5 last locations are stored and we recommend you use this – don’t worry – you are not disturbing anyone – except for our big computer who wants to be disturbed.

On Safetravel.is you can find extensive amount of information which can help you plan your travel to and around Iceland in more safe and secure way.

Local time and weather

Aurora forecast

When to see the Northern Lights in Iceland? The best time is between 21:00-03:00 although they can often be seen early evening or during the night. The official Northern Lights season in Iceland is from October till March. The more activity the more likely it is that you will see the northern lights but that is not all. There is never a guarantee of spotting the northern lights, but northern lights forecast by vedur.is are good. Clear skies are necessary, when we have clear skies in Iceland It is usually cold. So be sure to wear the right clothing.Northern Lights Forecast The Icelandic Met Office does Northern Lights Forecast which is good to use. Visit the Icelandic Met Office www.vedur.is, for more info.

Driving in Iceland

Always check the road conditionsThe weather is not the same in different regions of Iceland. Here below are good websites to use when traveling in Iceland in winter. Vedur.is is the official website for weather in Iceland. But it doesn’t always give the right picture road.is, the website for the Icelandic Road Administration, is the best website to use if you use it right.If you are unsure then you can call 1777 and ask for the conditions (open 06:30-22:00) or 1778 an automatic telephone service open all day.

Driving in Iceland can be tricky - but if you listen carefully to Elfis you should be fine.